The Leaving of Liverpool

World Youth Day Pilgrims take to the air for Madrid

There was an air of excitement and anticipation at Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport this morning, Tuesday 9 August, as fifty young people from across the Archdiocese of Liverpool gathered to begin their pilgrimage to Madrid for World Youth Day 2011.

Friends and family came to say goodbye at the start of a journey which will take the young pilgrims to Spain, firstly to work in the Diocese of Ciudad Real and then on to Madrid for the week of celebrations leading up to the World Youth Day Mass with Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday 21 August.

Distinctive in their light blue t-shirts luggage was gathered together and Youth Chaplain, Father Stephen Pritchard, handed out boarding passes as they waited excited but patient. One of the young pilgrims, Dominic Cain, said: ‘It was just like John Lennon Airport had become a sea of light blue as we were waiting to check in.’